Awareness, Experiences, and Attitudes Toward Preprints Among Medical Academics: Convergent Mixed Methods Study

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Sciences
• Medical Education
• Scholarly Publishing

Background:

• Preprints are gaining traction across disciplines but face limited adoption in clinical and biomedical sciences.
• Traditional publishing norms, editorial ambiguity, and lack of national policy impede preprint use in some regions.
• Awareness and acceptance of preprints vary significantly among medical academics and institutions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess awareness, experiences, and attitudes of medical academics toward preprints.
• To explore the editorial landscape regarding preprints through editor feedback and journal policies.
• To identify barriers and facilitators for preprint adoption in medical sciences in Türkiye.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional survey of 103 medical faculty members at Marmara University.
• Development of a "preprint test score" to quantify objective knowledge about preprints.
• Manual review of editorial feedback and 118 biomedical journal policies on preprints and APCs.

Main Results:

• Only 42.9% of participants were familiar with preprints; 13% had published on preprint servers.
• Misconceptions regarding ethics, peer review, and journal compatibility were prevalent.
• Older academics and basic scientists showed higher knowledge and experience, while clinical faculty were more hesitant.

Conclusions:

• Limited awareness and cautious engagement with preprints exist among Turkish medical academics and editors.
• Generational and disciplinary differences impact preprint knowledge and attitudes.
• Clearer journal policies and educational initiatives are needed to foster preprint adoption.